Supercars 2024: Veteran Mark Winterbottom discusses his Supercars future ahead of Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley

V8 veteran Mark Winterbottom has opened up on his plans for his Supercars future as he prepares to return to the scene of his emotional and drought-breaking victory last year at Hidden Valley in Darwin.

Supercars veteran Mark Winterbottom has declared he has no plans to hang up his helmet any time soon, saying his motivation to keep racing remains as strong as ever.

The driver affectionately known as ‘Frosty’, Winterbottom turned 43 last month but said he had no intention of putting the brakes on his full-time Supercars career.

Winterbottom is out of contract with Camaro squad Team 18 at the end of this season and is yet to open discussions with team owner Charlie Schwerkolt about his future beyond 2024.

But Winterbottom, the second oldest driver in the Supercars field behind James Courtney, had little doubt he still had the hunger required to keep racing.

As he prepares to return to the scene of his drought-breaking victory last year in Darwin, the former series champion and 2013 Bathurst 1000 winner said his age was just a “number” and his hunger was his only consideration when it came to his racing future.

“It’s all about motivation,” Winterbottom said.

“Everyone gets caught up on an age number, but it’s about motivation and hunger to do well and I train harder than any of the blokes in pit lane.

“I don’t really like to say that, but I know that I do. I work my backside off to make sure that I am ready.

“It’s when you feel like you are not getting the results or you are not motivated to go there and all that sort of stuff that’s when it’s time (to step away), but I’m so not in that position at the moment.

“Some people when they get (near) retirement they don’t want to go to races and the writing is on the wall, but I am definitely not at that point.

“I’m still busting at the chops to get to Darwin and get up the front and get a win.”

Winterbottom is now in his sixth season at Team 18, joining the then one-car operation in 2019 after 13 years at Ford squad Tickford Racing (Ford Performance Racing/Prodrive Racing Australia).

The long-time fan favourite said he was yet to sit down with Schwerkolt to discuss his plans beyond this year’s championship, but wants to be a part of any future Team 18 success.

“I think with Charlie it is not as formal as what other teams I guess are,” Winterbottom said.

“But I’m lucky that I’ve got sponsors that support me and want me to represent them as well and a team that is fully behind me as well.

“I’m sure we’ll have those chats, but we haven’t done that yet. I’m more focused on getting results and when you do that the other stuff takes care of itself.

“I’ve had that same model for the past 21 years, you do your talking on the track and the rest sorts itself out.

“I feel good at the moment and I think Team 18 has definitely got a lot of potential and we’ve ridden a hard wave and hopefully it’s getting better and better and you reap the reward.

“It has been up and down the time that I have been there, but the end goal was always the same and I feel like we are closer than ever to getting there, so I would hate to not be part of that success.”

If Winterbottom drives on next season, he can move to outright second on the all-time list for race starts and Supercars rounds behind V8 great Craig Lowndes.

Winterbottom sits third on 631 race starts behind Lowndes (677) and Garth Tander (644) and third on 279 for rounds behind Lowndes (302) and Tander (290).

More immediately, Winterbottom was excited to return to Hidden Valley Raceway where he secured an emotional and drought-breaking victory – his first in Supercars win in seven years – last season.

His first race win since 2016 also delivered Team 18 its first victory in Supercars in 333 attempts.

“Last year was a really special moment for everyone at the team and for myself, it was a long-time coming,” Winterbottom said.

“It was huge and it gave belief to everyone (in the team) that it is possible and on your day we are good enough to compete against the best and never be intimidated being a smaller team, just that confirmation that we can do it.

“It’s always a place that has seemed to suit (me). I’m really excited to go back, if we could have a 12-round championship at one track, I would pick Darwin.”

Winterbottom earned his only podium finish this year in the second race at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park and sits 15th in the Supercars championship.

But the Camaro driver has his eyes set on more results this year.

“I want to win Bathurst, I want to go there and win,” Winterbottom said.

“We’ve got some cool things in the pipeline that are still coming and improving.

“We want to get better. By Bathurst, I want to be challenging for pole at Bathurst and challenging for the win, so that’s the plan.”

Originally published as Supercars 2024: Veteran Mark Winterbottom discusses his Supercars future ahead of Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley